In our high school years Wolfy (the hubby) and I were oblivious of each other for two years. We had our own crowds and never ran into each other. That's normal for high school. But to suddenly start dating, after never acknowledging each other's existence on campus, was a very shocking matter in the high school gossip circles. The expressions of surprise and disbelief were all aimed at me, and how did I manage to land HIM? Even more shocking, to myself, because the first time I mustered up the courage to talk to Wolfy, I had another boyfriend.
My poor Ex never saw it coming. The Ex and I were all wrong for each other. He lived in a different city so we never saw each other. When I did see him he was usually drunk and I could tell that he wanted things that I was NOT going to give him. So I stopped calling him. That was really mean on my part, I know that, but I just didn't want to argue with him.
In the process of trying to ignore the Ex, I started to notice Wolfy more. I even caught myself in stalker like activity. I would go out of my way to walk in the hallways I knew he would be in. I would wait in areas I knew he would be passing through. It was like I was possessed by this boy crazy girl I'd never met and didn't like, but I couldn't stop myself. I just wanted to see him and I wanted him to see me. So the first time we talked was awkward. He was totally shocked I even stopped to speak to him and I was screaming from the inside while trying to look cool and nonchalant like I hadn't just been following him across campus. The second time we talked he was not as surprised, but still awkward. I never thought he would come out and ask me if I had a boyfriend! In a split second I thought say NO, but even then, I couldn't bring myself to lie to him. Who was this boy and why was I so concerned about being honest with him? So I told him yes. But the way I said it must have clued him into my situation with the Ex because he didn't seem disappointed. So we met up more often and talked a lot. And I really liked him. More than I had ever liked any other boy before. A couple encounters, turned into meeting everyday for lunch. Then we started meeting together during our sports periods, our last class of the day, because we were both in the off season.
One day on my way to last period, I recognized a girl that didn't belong at our school. She didn't belong there because she was the Ex's cousin and they went to the same school. My face dropped, my eyes widened, and I froze in place. I wanted to scream when she had said that the Ex was running around campus looking for me. (What I forgot to mention was that I hadn't officially broken things off with him.) I was furious, but I had to think fast. I was suppose to be meeting Wolfy in a couple of minutes, and how the hell was I going to keep him from running into the Ex. Ugh I was frantic. Ex's cousin kept asking me what's going on? I thought, how the hell was I suppose to know, and why did you bring him here? But I had to focus. I hailed down one of my friends, who also knew Wolfy well, and filled her in. She jumped into action and went looking for Wolfy to keep him busy. Right then I saw him. The Ex. He looked like a crazy person, then suddenly changed up his whole facade and smiled at me. I thought, please let him be sober. It was totally awkward talking to him. The whole time I was thinking of Wolfy and trying to get the Ex to leave. But he walked towards the boys weight room. NO! Anywhere but there. I wanted to summon the Football player in me and tackle him. I knew that Wolfy was usually in the boys weight room during last period. Who was I kidding, I was not going to be able to stop the Ex when he was like that. It was weird but the Ex seemed to be looking for someone, I just did not know how he knew. I hadn't even told anyone about Wolfy and I. Wolfy and I were not officially dating, but we were definitely spending a lot of time together. More time than I was spending with the Ex.
So I followed the Ex to the weight room. In the distance, down the large black top playard, I saw Wolfy walking towards the weight room and my heart beat so hard it just about cracked a rib. I turned and followed the Ex quietly while freaking out inside. When he was finally in the weight room I rushed out to desperately signal to my friend, "NOT YET!" In the distance I could see the confusion in Wolfy's face and I swore to myself that I would finally break it off with the Ex. I hated doing that to Wolfy. I had to tell him what was going on. How was he going to take it? I didn't want to hurt him. I took the walk of shame towards Wolfy and told him that my "boyfriend" was there. I wasn't prepared for Wolfy's temper. The look on his face I'd never seen before, but I knew he was mad. I barely heard him say "what!" and he was almost running towards the weight room. My friends and I had to grab both his arms to stop him. Ugh, I felt horrible. I asked Wolfy to please let me deal with this and I promised that he would never come back here again.
When I finally convinced the Ex to leave campus, we drove to my house. We sat on the hood of his car in awkward silence for a while. But I finally just broke up with him. He was very angry so I left knowing what a temper he had and how he could get. But it wouldn't be the last I heard from him. Later that night the Ex had called me from a payphone booth, drunk of course. He was really emotional, but I wasn't budging from my decision. It just made him more angry. Then over the phone I hear a loud crashing sound. I screamed into the phone, "Hello, hello! What happened! What's going on?" The voice on other line wasn't the Ex anymore. It was his cousin again. She said he shattered the glass surrounding the phone booth. She pleaded with me to reconsider, but I couldn't. What he had done was proof enough that I did not want to be with him.
When I think back to that day, I know I could have handled the Ex in a better manner. But what I remember most is how Wolfy reacted. Like a jealous boyfriend. But he wasn't my boyfriend....not yet.
At times I was very bold when it came to Wolfy. We weren't officially dating still when Valentine's Day came rolling around. But I wanted him to know I was thinking of him. So I grabbed one of the heart lollipops I had, walked towards Wolfy and his cousin standing near his locker, and slipped the lollipop right into the back pocket of his jeans and kept walking. LOL! I mean, who was I? I don'k know. He made me do things I NEVER thought I would do for a boy. Anyway, so I looked back to see if he got it, and he was already unwrapping it and he winked at me. He didn't even know what that did to me. I turned back around to hide the ridiculous smile I had on my face. I could hear the excited teasing and laughter from Wolfy and his cousin as I walked away.
